Omega-3 fatty acids have a long history of being "heart-healthy" but exactly why and how has been less clear. They are known to lower serum triglyceride levels, but the effect is relatively small and it's not clear how much of a risk factor high triglyceride levels is in the first place. So how do the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA work?

A recent study from the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study (CCLS) and The Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI) sheds new light on this question.

Dr. James H O'Keefe, MD, a cardiologist and Medical Director of the Charles and Barbara Duboc Cardio Health & Wellness Center at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute, remarked that this research provides "strong data supporting the robust cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 fatty acids."